"'I like solitude, when I give myself up to it, for the sake of solitude.'
A deeply insightful take on how hate and insecurity can be intertwined, and an endearing love letter to the natural world, 'On the Purpose of Hating' is one of the most renowned essays from the brilliant mind of William Hazlitt.
In 'On the Purpose of Hating', Hazlitt explores the complexities of hatred. He compellingly argues that hatred can have a self-destructive edge, and can do just as much harm to the person who harbours it as the subject of it. At its heart, hatred is merely a coping mechanism to manage our own shortcomings.
William Hazlitt (1778 – 1830) was an English essayist, social commentator and literary critic. Largely considered one of the best essayists of his time, and having befriended other literary giants such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats and Charles Lamb, Hazlitt was a prolific writer, penning articles and periodicals until his death."
"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
Have you ever eavesdropped on a captivating conversation between brilliant minds? Imagine witty exchanges about art, literature, and the very essence of life, all guided by the insightful William Hazlitt. In 'Table-Talk,' this isn't just a fantasy, it's an audiobook brimming with thought-provoking reflections. Prepare to delve into the human condition, explore the beauty of art, and ponder the mysteries of existence, all woven together with Hazlitt's signature wit and wisdom. So, pull up a chair, grab your metaphorical cup of tea, and join the stimulating 'Table-Talk.'"
"Liber Amoris is unlike anything Hazlitt wrote and probably like nothing you've come across before. On the face of it it tells the story of Hazlitt's infatuation with his landlords daughter. Hazlitt was middle aged and she young and pretty, a bit of a coquette from the sound of it. It turned out badly for Hazlitt and the book tells the story of this doomed love. Critics have always been divided about the merit of the piece. Even those who see its merit often feel more comfortable with his polished literary works, and perhaps rightly so. This is not a work to make you feel comfortable.
I'd like to propose though that there is more to this as a work of art. It was the beginning of the era of the auto-biography that was arguably started by Rousseau in his Confessions. Going beyond Rousseau's mild self criticism, Hazlitt gives a ruthless self portrait (as well as an unsparing portrait of the object of his affections) of the weakness and mental turmoil that he experienced during the love affair. In this it is much closer to the theatre of cruelty of Antonin Artaud in which a pure artisitc truth is revealed through 'shattering a false reality that lies like a shroud over our perceptions'. Hazlitt had this in spades.
So if you are looking for a polished stroll through the romantic sensibility this is not for you. This is about a close as you'll get to participating in a romantic car crash. A work of great art.
Notes: Nick Duncan"
